Chapter 161 CHAPTER 161: THE SHADOW BEHIND ME
~Elara's Pov~
The house felt too quiet.
Wayne had left early that morning for a meeting he couldn’t reschedule, even after arguing with himself for thirty minutes about whether he should cancel it.
“Elara, call me if you need anything.”
“I will.”
“Anything.”
“Wayne.”
“I’m serious.”
She smiled softly. “I know.”
He kissed her forehead three times before finally leaving.
And now, hours later, she was pacing the living room.
She loved him.
She loved how protective he was.
But she needed air.
Just a short walk, she told herself.
Nothing dramatic.
The weather was calm, the sky lightly overcast, the breeze soft against her skin. She slipped on comfortable sandals, grabbed her phone, and stepped outside.
The neighborhood was peaceful birds chirping, distant laughter from children, a woman watering her plants two houses down.
Normal.
Safe.
She began walking slowly along the pavement, one hand instinctively resting on her stomach. It was still early in the pregnancy, but she already felt connected protective in her own quiet way.
Her steps were unhurried.
Inhale.
Exhale.
For the first time in days, she felt… light.
Then she heard it.
Footsteps.
Soft.
Measured.
Behind her.
She didn’t turn immediately.
Plenty of people walked around here.
She continued moving, trying to stay calm.
The footsteps continued.
Same rhythm.
Same distance.
Not getting closer.
Not falling back.
Her heart gave a small, uncertain thud.
Don’t panic, she told herself.
She casually slowed down.
The footsteps slowed too.
Her breath caught.
Okay.
Maybe coincidence.
She stepped to the side of the road and pretended to check her phone.
The footsteps stopped.
Her skin prickled.
Very slowly, she turned her head just enough to look over her shoulder.
A man stood about fifteen feet behind her.
Black hoodie.
Cap pulled low.
Face partially hidden.
He wasn’t looking at his phone.
He wasn’t walking past her.
He was… just standing there.
Watching.
Her stomach tightened.
The moment their eyes nearly met, he turned his head slightly, pretending to observe something else.
Her pulse quickened.
This isn’t normal.
She turned fully and resumed walking, this time a bit faster.
The footsteps resumed.
Not rushing.
Just… there.
Steady.
Intentional.
Her mind raced.
Should I call Wayne?
No.
He’ll panic.
But what if
She swallowed hard and turned the next corner quickly.
Her heart pounded in her ears.
She counted her breaths.
One.
Two.
Three.
The footsteps turned the corner too.
That was it.
This wasn’t coincidence.
Fear shot through her veins.
She abruptly crossed the street toward a small convenience store at the edge of the block. The bell above the door chimed as she stepped inside.
The cold air hit her skin.
She stood near the entrance, pretending to browse.
Through the glass window, she saw him.
He had stopped across the street.
Not entering.
Not leaving.
Just standing.
Watching the store.
Watching her.
Her hands began to tremble slightly.
After about a minute, he slowly turned and walked away.
Not hurried.
Not nervous.
Just calm.
Too calm.
She waited five full minutes before stepping outside again.
He was gone.
But the unease stayed.
On the walk back home, something else surfaced in her mind.
The baby store.
Two days ago.
She had felt something similar.
A strange awareness.
A sensation of being observed.
She remembered standing in the aisle between tiny blue onesies and pastel pink dresses.
She had turned suddenly.
And seen someone at the end of the aisle.
Black hoodie.
Cap low.
Pretending to browse.
At the time, she brushed it off.
Now her chest tightened.
It was him.
It had to be.
He wasn’t random.
He had seen them at baby shopping.
He knew.
Her steps quickened.
She reached home and locked the door immediately, double-checking it twice.
Her breathing hadn’t settled.
She grabbed her phone.
Her thumb hovered over Wayne’s name.
He would panic.
But this wasn’t something she could hide.
She pressed call.
He picked up on the first ring.
“Elara?”
His voice instantly alert.
“Hey.”
“What’s wrong?”
She blinked.
“How do you always know?”
“Your voice.”
Her heart softened slightly.
“I went for a walk.”
Silence.
“A walk.”
“Yes.”
“Alone.”
“Yes.”
He inhaled sharply.
“Elara”
“Wayne, listen first.”
He went quiet immediately.
She explained everything.
The footsteps.
The stopping.
The watching.
The store.
The baby shopping memory.
As she spoke, the silence on the other end grew heavier.
When she finished, his voice was no longer calm.
“What did he look like?”
“Black hoodie. Cap. Tall.”
“Did you see his face?”
“No.”
“Did he say anything?”
“No.”
“How long was he following you?”
“I don’t know. Maybe five minutes.”
“That’s not short.”
She could hear movement on his end.
Car keys.
A door.
“Wayne, where are you going?”
“I’m coming home.”
“You’re at work.”
“I don’t care.”
“Wayne.”
“No. You don’t get followed and just sit at home alone.”
Her heart pounded again but this time from his tone.
Pure fury.
“Maybe I’m overthinking,” she said softly.
“You are not.”
“It could be coincidence.”
“Elara.”
His voice dropped lower.
“You said you saw him at the baby store.”
“Yes.”
“And now he’s following you.”
“Yes.”
“That’s not coincidence.”
The air felt thinner.
Her earlier fear returned stronger.
“You think he’s targeting us?”
“I don’t know,” Wayne said through clenched teeth. “But I’m not taking chances.”
She heard his car start.
“Stay inside. Lock everything.”
“I already did.”
“Don’t open the door for anyone.”
“Wayne—”
“I’m ten minutes away.”
He hung up.
He arrived in seven.
The door burst open with more force than necessary.
“Elara!”
“I’m here!”
He rushed toward her, hands immediately checking her arms, her face, her stomach.
“Are you okay?”
“Yes.”
“Did he touch you?”
“No.”
“Did he speak to you?”
“No.”
His jaw tightened visibly.
“I knew it.”
“Knew what?”
“That feeling.”
She blinked.
“What feeling?”
He stepped back slightly.
“At the baby store.”
Her stomach dropped.
“You felt it too?”
He nodded slowly.
“I saw him.”
Her breath caught.
“You did?”
“Yes.”
“Why didn’t you say anything?”
“I didn’t want to scare you.”
Her chest tightened.
“He was watching you,” Wayne continued. “Not the clothes. Not the store. You.”
Her pulse raced.
“You’re sure?”
“I’ve never been more sure.”
The room felt suddenly smaller.
“Why would someone watch me?”
He didn’t answer immediately.
“That’s what I’m going to find out.”
She grabbed his arm.
“Wayne, don’t do anything reckless.”
“I won’t.”
But his eyes said otherwise.
That night, Wayne barely left her side.
He checked the windows.
The locks.
The security cameras.
He installed an additional temporary alarm system before midnight.
She watched him move through the house with quiet intensity.
“This is my fault,” she whispered.
He stopped immediately.
“Don’t.”
“I shouldn’t have gone alone.”
“You are allowed to walk in your own neighborhood.”
“But”
“No.”
His tone softened slightly.
“This is not your fault.”
She stepped closer.
“You’re angry.”
“I’m protective.”
“You’re furious.”
“Yes.”
She placed her hand on his chest.
“Don’t let anger cloud you.”
He exhaled slowly.
“I won’t.”
But she knew that look.
It was the same look he had when she was in the hospital waiting for results.
Fear masked as control.
Rage fueled by love.
They sat in bed later, but neither slept.
“Wayne,” she said quietly.
“What?”
“What if he comes back?”
He turned toward her immediately.
“He won’t.”
“How do you know?”
“Because I’m here.”
She swallowed.
“That doesn’t stop someone determined.”
His jaw tightened.
“I won’t let anything happen to you.”
“You can’t promise that.”
He stared at her.
“I can promise I’ll fight like hell.”
Her eyes filled slightly.
“I don’t want you fighting.”
“I will if I have to.”
She rested her head against him.
“I’m scared.”
He wrapped his arms around her.
“I know.”
She hesitated.
“I didn’t tell you something.”
He stiffened slightly.
“What?”
“When I saw him today… it didn’t feel random.”
“What do you mean?”
“It felt like he was studying me.”
Wayne’s hands tightened.
“Studying how?”
“Like he was waiting.”
“For what?”
“I don’t know.”
The silence that followed was heavier than anything before.
Wayne kissed the top of her head.
“Tomorrow we’re going to the police.”
Her heart skipped.
“Isn’t that extreme?”
“No.”
“But we don’t have proof.”
“I don’t need proof to report suspicion.”
She closed her eyes.
“Okay.”
He brushed her hair back gently.
“You’re not walking alone again.”
She didn’t argue this time.
“Okay.”
Just as they were drifting into restless sleep
Wayne’s phone buzzed.
He ignored it.
Then it buzzed again.
And again.
He frowned and reached for it.
An unknown number.
Three missed calls.
A text.
He opened it.
Elara watched his face change.
“What?”
He didn’t answer immediately.
“What is it?”
He turned the screen toward her.
A single message.
“She shouldn’t walk alone.”
Her blood ran cold.
Wayne stood up instantly.
“How does he have your number?” she whispered.
“I don’t know.”
Her hands trembled.
“He’s watching us.”
Wayne’s eyes darkened in a way she had never seen before.
“No,” he said quietly.
“He’s challenging me.”
And suddenly, this wasn’t just about fear.
It was about confrontation.